1896 Oliver C. Ewart Bowling Alley

Oliver Ewart, a banker who split time between New York and Mount Vernon, Ohio, purchased the lot at 725 North Dawson Street in 1893 and built a three-level mansion. Three years later, he added this ten-pin bowling lane/shooting gallery/gymnasium for his twelve-year-old son, Robert. Believed to be the second oldest bowling alley left standing in the United States, it is built from heart pine. Pocket doors separate the bowling lane from the gymnasium area, which include twisted hooks on the ceiling to support ropes and swings. The doors also helped maintain heat in the gymnasium section during winter months, while the Ewart family was in Thomasville.

The three-level mansion burned while under the ownership of the Joseph Hampton Flowers family in 1923. While the brick building that now houses the museum was under construction, the Flowers family lived in the bowling alley, adding a kitchen and bathroom addition which has since been removed. Under the ownership of the Roberts family, 1939-1968, the outside was painted green, the inside painted white and wood railings on the porch were replaced by metal piping. The bowling alley was restored to its original style in the early 1990s.

The Museum of History will be open Sunday, September 10,2017 from Noon-4pm for Self-Guided tours only. Come explore the Museum and 8 historic structures as you complete our scavenger hunt (fun for kids and adults!). Self-guided admission: Adults, $5, Students (ages 6-17) $1, under 6 free.

Visiting Thomasville from out of town? Several local restaurants will be open! Check with the Visitors Center for a full list (229) 228-7977

Learn the ins and outs of wine making in South Georgia; presented by the Thomas County Historical Society and the Susina Plantation Winery as an extension of the popular Hands-On Heritage workshops, the Saturday, September 16th afternoon event is open to active members of the Historical Society and will last from 3pm-5pm. The program includes a guided tour of the vineyard and winery, as well as a tasting of the winery’s offerings in the dining room of the main house. Registration for this program is open now and current members of the Thomas County Historical Society may sign-up online using Eventbrite. Commemorative Susina Plantation Winery glasses will be available for purchase online with registration and at the event. Please contact the Programs and Membership Manager at amelia@thomascountyhistory.org or 229-226-7664 for any questions regarding registration for this event or to check the status of your membership.